Linotype-machine.



No. 821,296. PATENTBD MAY 22, 19 06.

P. E. KENT.

LINOTYPE MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED OCT-20,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. I

P. E. KENT. LINOTYPE MACHINE.

APBLIGATION FILED OGI.20, 1905.

No. 321,296 PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor \Mitnesses ik Attorneys osrrnn STATES PATENT orrrcn PERRY E. KENT, OF U 10A. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LlNQTYFE-MACHENE.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

1'0 all, whom 1 1; nut-y concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY E. KENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in l mediate guiding-channel,

the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Linotype- Machine, of which the following is a specification. v

In the Mergenthaler linotype-machines the matrices and spacers fall from their magazines and are pushed consecutively into the vertically-movable assembler, frequently known as the assembling-elevator, and after a line is assembled the assembler moves up and the line of matrices is pushed through anintermediate delivery-channel to a second elevator, by which they are carried down to the mold-wheel, and in two-letter machines. that is, machines where each matrix is pro vided with two dies representing the same character in different styles (for instance,

'Roman and italics)-the matrices are delivered to the assembler in such. position that either one er other of their die-faces will be adjusted to operative position. Thus in a' single line of matrices in which all of the line except one word is to appear in Roman and a single Word in italics the matrices to form'the word in italics will be arranged at a bidder level than those which form the remaining portion of the line. rangement of the lugs or cars at the lower ends of the matrices into two horizontal par-v allel rows, and in pushing the assembled line into the intermediate delivery channel, which is provided with guides for the reception of said lugs, the latter are frequently bent or broken by collision with the ends of the lower guides. These disadvantages are known and recognized in the operation of the ordinary two--letter machinesand are-due for the most part to the construction of the guiding devices of the intermediate delivcry-channel, the groove formed in said guide for the reception of the lower lugs of the upper row of matricesboing separated from the path of the lower row by a rib that is provided'with a short tapered face at its forward or entrai'ice end and against which the lower lugs or cars of the matrices strike as they are pushed from the assembler into the groove, and the lugs are constantly exposed to danger of bending or mutilation from the fact that in ordinary workfor instance, newspaper, magazine, or

This results in the arbook werk-the ordinary Roman type is almost constantly used, and the lugs of these 5 5 matrices must pass below. the rib of the inter while italics or bold-face type, which appear infrequently, require the elevation of the matrices, and the lugs of these latter matrices pass abovethe 6o rib, where they are not exposed to the same danger of mutilation, so that in the ordinary two-letter machine the larger percentage of matrices is constantly in danger of distortion or mutilation, while the smaller percentage is 6 5 comparatively free from such danger.

It is the principal object of the present invention to change these conditions and to so arrange the guides of the intermediate channel that during ordinary work the large majority ol.""matrices will not be exposed to danger of mutilation by jamn'iingagainst the end of "the rib when a two-letter machine is used for single-letter work.

A further object of the invention is to so construct theintermediate guide-rails as to permit of ready adjustment of the positions of the guides in accordance with the character of the work, and, further, to so arrange said guide that it may protrude within the as: .80 sembl'er of the machine in order thatano ob- .struction maybe oiferedduring the movement of the assembled matrices from the'assembler to the channel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a guide havinga yieldable section so arranged that improperly-assembled matrices willbe guided into the intermediate channel without danger of breakage or mutilation.

A still further object of the invention to go so construct the guide-rail that it may be substituted for the guide-rail in common use by merely detaching the latter and placing the improved guide rail in its place, the guide-rails being made interchangeable, so 5 that they may be quickly applied to existing machines at comparatively small expense.

With these and other objects in view, as wIll more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of con 10o struction and arrangement of parts, hcreInafter fully described, illustrated in the accom panying drawings, and particularly point ed out-in the appended claims, it being unvantages of the invention.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of suflicient of a Mergenthaler linotype-machine to illustrate the application of the invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the intermediate guide-channel on the line2 2 of Fig. 1, the view being on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the improved guiderail'forming the subject of the present invention, showing the parts adjusted for use on ordinary work.- Fig. 4 is a similar view showing, the position to which the parts are adjusted when a line containing or composed of italics is to be made- Fig- 5 is a front elevation of a portion of a railwith the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3. Fi 6 is a similar view with the parts adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 7 and 8 are views correspondin to Figs. 5 and 6, illustrating slight modi cations of the adjusting device. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a number of matrices,\showing some improperly assem-.

bled. Fig." 10 is a perspectiveview of a matriX having a mutilated lug or earz- Fi 11 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, 0- the yieldable member at the end of theadjustable guide block or switch.

Similar characters of reference are 'em ployed to indicate corresponding parts,

throughout the several figures of the draw I where the-matrices are received from any forms a'guide for engagement with the up er In Fig. 1 of the drawings is illustrated sufficient of a Mergenthaler linotype-machine to illustrate the application of the invention thereto, A being the fixed frame, B the verti-. cally-movable assembler, (the assembling-elee vator,) and C the fixed intermediate guidechannel, to which the line of matrices is delivered from the assembler.

The present invention is confined to the construction and arrangement of the intermediate guide-channel, although, if necessary, it 'may'xbe'emplOyed to advantage in connection-with any portion of the machine other portion thereof.

rail 10 is provided with an-upper flan e 11,

which, as usual, extends to the outer e ge of the bracket Cf and the main body of the rail is provided with two parallel ribs 12 and 13, the upper face of the upper rib forming a support for the upper'ears or In s of the matf the rices, while-the lower face 0 lower rib 13 edges of the lower lugs of thematrices. etween the two ribs 12'and l3 isa' channel 14,

The intermediate channel is ordinarflyprothatis arranged for. the reception of the lugs of those matrices which have been elevated for the purpose of forming italic or other characters, this groove corresponding to the similar groove in the ordinary rail and being employed for a similar purpose.

In order to better understand the present invention, it may besaid that the guide-rail now in common'use on a two-letter machine resembles in general the improved rail when the latter is adjusted above the normal level to the position shown in Fi 4, and this being the case the groove 14 wil receive the lower lugs of. those matrices which are adjusted for the formation of italics or other. characters, while the lower face of the. rib 13 forms a guide for engagement with the upper edges of the lugs of thosematrices which remain at the normal level and are employed for ordinary work, and the end of this rib is the point at which the lugs are injured when a two-letter machine is used with single-letter matrices or a Roman line of two-letter matrices, said lugs sometimes striking against the end of the rib and being bent or broken, as shown in Fig. 10.

In carrying out the present invention the entrance end of the rail is cutaway, forming a recess for the reception of a reliminary guide block or switch 17, that is provided with a lower rib 13 and a groove 14, which may "be adjusted into alin'ement'with the rib 13 and groove 14, as shown in Fig. 4.

This preliminar guide blockor switch 17 is adjustable vert cally and is rovided with openings for the reception 0 pendent pins 18, that are carriedby the main portion of the'rail, so that said preliminary guide-block may be moved to the positionshown 1n. Fig. 3 or to the position shown in Fig. 4.

.For ordinarywo'rk the preliminary guide block or switch is adjusted to the osition shown inFig". 3 with the u per wal of the groovev 14 in .al-ine'ment wit the lower face of the rib 1 3,- and the block is provided with a rounded or cam-shaped face 19, which by engagement with the upper edges of the lower lug of the matrices will guidethem into the groove 14 in case said matrices are not properly alin'ed in the assembler. The

line of assembled irlat'rices is forced from the assembler under the curved entrance 19, and

'the lugs are directed into the groove 14 without danger of mutilation and from said groove pass under the rib 13,-wlnle the upper lugs of the matrices rest on the up er faceof the rib 12, the work proceeding wit the same --facility as in the ordinary single-letter Mergenthaler machine, where the lugs of the matrices" are seldom," If' ever, in ured during the transfer fromthe assembler to the guide channel, j I

.Whn a lineis to contain 1138110901 other .iseobnd characters of the matrix, it is necessary to so adjust the device as to permit the entrance of the lower lugs of the elevated matrices to the groove 14, and for this purpose the preliminary guide-block can ,be instantly adjusted to the position shown Fig. 4. The line of matrices assembled in the assembler are arranged with their lower lugs in two horizontal planes, one above and parallel with the other, the lugs of those matrices designed to form italics being 'upermost. This line of matrices when forced from the assembler will be delivered to the guide-channel in such manner that the line of the uppermost matrices will be received in the groove 14 and thence will ass into the o erator stationed in front of the keyboar In one construction a slide 25 is arranged at the front edge of the rail, preferably in a recess 26, and the up er end of the slide is provided with a suita 1e button 27 for operating 'pur oses, The inner and lower end ofsthe sli e is connected by a link 28 to the block 17, and a spring 29 connects the block to the main portion of the rail,

' link 28, an

. cation of the adjusting devices.

said spring being so. arranged as to normally retain the block 17 in the position shown in, Fig. 6. The link.28 is connected at a point intermediate its ends to a link 30, that is pivoted on a stud 31 adjacent to the 11 per connection of the spring 29, and the ink 30 is curved to receive the forward end" of the slide, stithat when the parts are adjusted to the position shown in Figs; 3 and 5 the spring 29 will act ractically in the direct line of the (I thus will lock the block 17 in the position to which it is adjusted.

- In Figs. v7 and 8 is shown a slight modifi- In this case the block or switch 17 is preferably provided with a dovetailed end 32, fitting in a correspondingly-shaped groove in the main body of the rail, and slide 26 is connected by a bell-crank lever 34 to one-end of a link 35, the opposite end of which is connected to a lug 36, projecting from the lower end of a catch 37. The catch is pivoted on a stud 38 and is provided with a fiat lower face against which 'bears the free end of a leafspring 39, said spring having two functions,-

one to elevate the block 17 and the other to maintain the forward curved face of the catch in engagement with anantifrictionroller 40, that rojects from the main body 'of the rail, an when the slide 26-is moved from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 7 the block 17 will be carried down and as the inner face of the catch rides against the roller 40 the latter will be received in the slotted end of the catch and will be retained therein, so that the block 17 will be firmly locked in the po sition to which it is adjusted.

In all cases it is preferred that the adjusting devices be disposed in recesses formed in the'body of the rail and the body of the block 17, so that the improved rail as a. whole may be readily substituted for the rail now commonly used in two-letter machines In order to guide the properly assembled matrices into the channel, the cam-surface 19 should of course be extended upward as far as possible, but if extended too far there is danger of the lugs or ears of the higher matrices catching against the cam-surface and becoming bent-or boken. In order to avoid this, the cam-surface is formed-in part of a yieldable member 41, this yieldable member being pivoted to the lowerpo'itionof-the block and soarranged that its lower and forward edge shall constitute a'p'ortion of the cam-surface. yieldable section is held in depressed position by a-small leaf-spring 42, and its downward movement is limited by a suitable pin or lug 43. When the lug or car of a matrix that is elevated above the others strikes against this yieldable section, the latter will give, and the matrix will then be pressed downward into proper position without danger of being broken by the initial col- 'lision.

This 'yieldable guide at the entrance of the channel is of importance in that it prevents the abrupt engagement of the. matrix lug or car with an unyielding body, and after the initial shock has been absorbedby the spring the matrix is deflected into its proper course.

It will be noted that the forward ends of the rib 12 and the guide block or switch extend to a point somewhat beyond the leftband edge of the assembler, or, in other words, project within thelimits of the assembler, so

that the matrices may be more readily transferred from the assembler to the guide.

With a device constructed in accordance with this invention the matrices adjusted for ordinary work in a two-letter machine, are not subjected to excessive wear and are not exposed to danger of breakage or distortion.

I am aware that in a machine of the present class a mechanically-actuated verticallymovable switch has been pivoted within the intermediate channel in such manner that it can be set to override the ears of the matrices in the lower position, and thus insure I believe myself to be the first to provide a vertically-movable switch which may be manually 0 erated and set permanently in the require position and the first to extend a vertically-movable switch from the intermediate assage into, the assembling-elevator and al so' the first to arrange said'switch so that it will exert a yieldingbressure on the ears of the matrices passin thereunder.

Havin thus described t e invention, What 7 is claimed is 1. In a linotype-machine, an. adjustable matrixuiding member disposed within the limits 0% the assembler in position to act on the outgoing matrices.

2. In a linotype-machine, an adjustable matrix-guide extending from the intermedi* ate delivery-channel into the assembler.

3. In a knot e-machine, a guide-rail having an adjusta fie section arranged to extend into the assembler in position to act on the outgoing matrices.

4. In a linot c-machine, a guiderail having an adjusta ememberarranged to present either a single or a double guideway. for the matrix-lugs.

5. In a linotype-machine, a guide-rail 'adjustable to form either a single or a double guideway for the matrix lugs.

6. In a linotype-machine, an intermediate channel having guide-rails, a portion of the rails being adj ustable for engagement with the lugs of matrices delivered either in normal or raised position.

7 Ina linotype-machine, a guide-rail formin a part of the intermediate delivery-channe a block arranged at the entrance end of said rail and servin to direct the course of the matrices from t e assembler to the rail, means for raising and lowering said block, and

means for holding said block in the position to which it is adjusted.

8. In a linotype-machine, a guide-rail forming part of the intermediate delivery-channe a reliminary guide-block arranged at the en of the rail, 'a manually-operable slide for adjusting the block, a link extending between the slide and block, a secondary link connecting the first link to a fixed portion of the rail, and a spring tending to hold the block in adjusted position. 1

9. In a linotype-machine, a guide-rail formin a part of the intermediate delivery-chad ne and having an ad'ustable section, and an adjusting means con ned within the lines of the rail.

1-0. A matrix-guide having a verticall yieldable section for engagement with t e lower lugs of the matrices.

11. A matrix-guide having a verticall yieldable portion for initial contact with t e matrix-lugs.

12. A guide-rail having a cam-faced entrance end for engagement with the lower lugs of the matrices, a ortion of the camface being vertically yiel able.

13. A guide-rail having a cam-shaped entrance end for engagement with the lower lugs of the matrices, and. a pivotally mounted to form a portion of said cam-face.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing. as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PERRY E. KENT.

Witnesses:

ARoHn. MACDONALD, D. G. LOWNSBERY. 

